BONZO
<font color=660066>Has been known to go off topic!
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2001
- Messages
- 2,100
The Hopping Mad Easter Tour - 2004
Shaun - 40 something If its high fat, high sugar Ill eat it
Alison - 30 something 'If its not Atkins I wont eat it
Alexandra - 10 Can we play mini-golf? Can we? Can we? Can we? Can we?
Laura - 8 'If Im tall enough Ill ride it'
Wednesday 14th April 2004
Up at about 8:00 and Alison finished off the packing while I fixed breakfast for the troops - usual stuff - burnt bagels etc! Had a final sweep of the villa and checked that we hadn't left anything important behind. We left at about 10:00 and drove down the Osceola Parkway for the last time. The weather is very bright but a bit chilly!
We arrived at the Royal Pacific Hotel and WOW! - what a great place. It reminded us of the Polynesian in some ways. We were checked in by a lovely CM who was very heavily pregnant who couldn't be faulted. She really went out of her way to make sure we had everything we needed. She explained that the girls could have a check in gift each but that we may want to call back for them later.Bell services took care of our luggage as our room wasnt ready and we took the boat to IOA. By this time of day the park was VERY busy but hey ho, we have FOTL access! The last time we were here (at the beginning of the holiday) Laura was ill - so this was really her first trip here that she could enjoy!
We did all of the usual stuff starting in Seuss Landing and working anti-clockwise. The only things we decided not to do were the water rides as it really was very cold. All the CMs had thick jackets on with heavy duty waterproofs over the top to ward off the wind! A bit over the top maybe - we were still in shorts and t-shirts (albeit with fleecy jackets over the top!)
We stopped for lunch in Toon Lagoon
Laura: Pizza
Alexandra: Fish and chips
Shaun: Chicken sandwich and fries
Alison: Double cheeseburger and fries
About $25
We stopped and watched an extreme skateboarding/bmx show and then decided to call it a day. On the way out Alexandra and I rode Hulk .and just to keep Alison quiet . Dr Doom! - the things I do for that girl!
We took the boat back to the hotel and we were allocated room 1444 in Tower 1. Brilliant! We had a theme park view (which I believe are quite sought after). The room was a bit smaller and had darker décor than PBH but the view from the room of Hulk and Dr Doom was superb! I could lay on the bed for ages watching that view.
We sent the kids down to reception for their free gifts (bucket and spade) and we received our complimentary bottle of wine and nuts (We had joined the Leows First programme via their website. This gives you various perks - as long as you are paying rack rate for the room - including a welcome gift. We chose the wine and nuts option!)
During this holiday (and our last one in August 2003) the girls had seen the hair braiding concessions in a number of the parks and requests for these had become like a dripping tap. We told them in August last year that it was too expensive to be done each holiday and they asked if they could have it done on this Easter trip. We agreed thinking that theyd forget! LOL - Fat chance!
So, earlier in the holiday we gave them the option of having this done at the start or the end of the holiday as the braids don't last for that long. They decided on the end of the holiday so that they could go back to school and show off to all their friends! So for the last few days it was all they talked about - driving absolutely mad!
To prevent me throwing the girls out of the window, Alison took the girls off to get their hair done at about 6:30 while I stayed in the room with the wine and nuts - and they didn't come back until 8:40! Over to Alison for the story:
We approached the hair braiding/wrap stand in Citywalk and asked for the girls hair to be done to hear the bad news -
Maam, you need to make an appointment.
Noooooo! I asked when the next appointments were - not too bad really, at 8pm and 8.30pm. So I booked the girls in and we decided to go into IOA to do a couple of rides to use some time up while we waited. Would you believe it - we passed another hair braiding stand in Toon Lagoon!
We asked about appointments etc and they said they could do one child straight away and one starting in about 20 minutes! Bingo!
So, Alexandra had hers done first (a bit painful she said) followed by Laura. Laura cried throughout! She said it really hurt! The trouble is that her hair is really fine (with lots of short wispy bits in the front that needed pulling in) so the CM was quite rough L
Anyway, painful experience over with (painful for me also - it cost $100 for the two of them!) I received the care instructions. Phew! They needed gel applied twice a day, had to sleep with a bandana on and wear protective headgear when swimming! Oh well - wed need to go shopping tonight then! LOL
While we were in IOA it seemed a waste not to do a couple of rides! LOL Just did The Flying Unicorn and a couple of Seuss Landing rides before we thought wed better go back and wake Shaun up from his wine induced nap!
Back to Shaun now!
OK - girls happy, we decided to check out Café Tutu Tango . We (or rather Alison) drove up and down I Drive trying to find it and as we were about to give up we saw it. This is a great and unusual place to eat with resident artists, sculptors and tarot card readers in residence - a very bohemian atmosphere with works of art of all different styles for sale on every wall space.
We had:
Girls: Pizza each
Us: 6 x tapas style dishes including: -
Gator bites
Crispy shrimp skewers
Beef skewers with lime sauce
Pork pot stickers
Another beef dish whose name escapes me!
And another dish that Ive forgotten
Soft drinks all round
Total cost about $70 - pricey but really good food and good fun and quite unique.
Drove back to hotel, stopping on the way for hair gel, bandanas etc and finished off the wine and nuts and crashed out.
Weather: Sunny and bright but it seemed freezing at about 70 degrees! - forecast is the same for tomorrow!
Plan for tomorrow: Universal Studios then onto to the Contemporary
Shaun - 40 something If its high fat, high sugar Ill eat it
Alison - 30 something 'If its not Atkins I wont eat it
Alexandra - 10 Can we play mini-golf? Can we? Can we? Can we? Can we?
Laura - 8 'If Im tall enough Ill ride it'
Wednesday 14th April 2004
Up at about 8:00 and Alison finished off the packing while I fixed breakfast for the troops - usual stuff - burnt bagels etc! Had a final sweep of the villa and checked that we hadn't left anything important behind. We left at about 10:00 and drove down the Osceola Parkway for the last time. The weather is very bright but a bit chilly!
We arrived at the Royal Pacific Hotel and WOW! - what a great place. It reminded us of the Polynesian in some ways. We were checked in by a lovely CM who was very heavily pregnant who couldn't be faulted. She really went out of her way to make sure we had everything we needed. She explained that the girls could have a check in gift each but that we may want to call back for them later.Bell services took care of our luggage as our room wasnt ready and we took the boat to IOA. By this time of day the park was VERY busy but hey ho, we have FOTL access! The last time we were here (at the beginning of the holiday) Laura was ill - so this was really her first trip here that she could enjoy!
We did all of the usual stuff starting in Seuss Landing and working anti-clockwise. The only things we decided not to do were the water rides as it really was very cold. All the CMs had thick jackets on with heavy duty waterproofs over the top to ward off the wind! A bit over the top maybe - we were still in shorts and t-shirts (albeit with fleecy jackets over the top!)
We stopped for lunch in Toon Lagoon
Laura: Pizza
Alexandra: Fish and chips
Shaun: Chicken sandwich and fries
Alison: Double cheeseburger and fries
About $25
We stopped and watched an extreme skateboarding/bmx show and then decided to call it a day. On the way out Alexandra and I rode Hulk .and just to keep Alison quiet . Dr Doom! - the things I do for that girl!
We took the boat back to the hotel and we were allocated room 1444 in Tower 1. Brilliant! We had a theme park view (which I believe are quite sought after). The room was a bit smaller and had darker décor than PBH but the view from the room of Hulk and Dr Doom was superb! I could lay on the bed for ages watching that view.
We sent the kids down to reception for their free gifts (bucket and spade) and we received our complimentary bottle of wine and nuts (We had joined the Leows First programme via their website. This gives you various perks - as long as you are paying rack rate for the room - including a welcome gift. We chose the wine and nuts option!)
During this holiday (and our last one in August 2003) the girls had seen the hair braiding concessions in a number of the parks and requests for these had become like a dripping tap. We told them in August last year that it was too expensive to be done each holiday and they asked if they could have it done on this Easter trip. We agreed thinking that theyd forget! LOL - Fat chance!
So, earlier in the holiday we gave them the option of having this done at the start or the end of the holiday as the braids don't last for that long. They decided on the end of the holiday so that they could go back to school and show off to all their friends! So for the last few days it was all they talked about - driving absolutely mad!
To prevent me throwing the girls out of the window, Alison took the girls off to get their hair done at about 6:30 while I stayed in the room with the wine and nuts - and they didn't come back until 8:40! Over to Alison for the story:
We approached the hair braiding/wrap stand in Citywalk and asked for the girls hair to be done to hear the bad news -
Maam, you need to make an appointment.
Noooooo! I asked when the next appointments were - not too bad really, at 8pm and 8.30pm. So I booked the girls in and we decided to go into IOA to do a couple of rides to use some time up while we waited. Would you believe it - we passed another hair braiding stand in Toon Lagoon!
We asked about appointments etc and they said they could do one child straight away and one starting in about 20 minutes! Bingo!
So, Alexandra had hers done first (a bit painful she said) followed by Laura. Laura cried throughout! She said it really hurt! The trouble is that her hair is really fine (with lots of short wispy bits in the front that needed pulling in) so the CM was quite rough L
Anyway, painful experience over with (painful for me also - it cost $100 for the two of them!) I received the care instructions. Phew! They needed gel applied twice a day, had to sleep with a bandana on and wear protective headgear when swimming! Oh well - wed need to go shopping tonight then! LOL
While we were in IOA it seemed a waste not to do a couple of rides! LOL Just did The Flying Unicorn and a couple of Seuss Landing rides before we thought wed better go back and wake Shaun up from his wine induced nap!
Back to Shaun now!
OK - girls happy, we decided to check out Café Tutu Tango . We (or rather Alison) drove up and down I Drive trying to find it and as we were about to give up we saw it. This is a great and unusual place to eat with resident artists, sculptors and tarot card readers in residence - a very bohemian atmosphere with works of art of all different styles for sale on every wall space.
We had:
Girls: Pizza each
Us: 6 x tapas style dishes including: -
Gator bites
Crispy shrimp skewers
Beef skewers with lime sauce
Pork pot stickers
Another beef dish whose name escapes me!
And another dish that Ive forgotten
Soft drinks all round
Total cost about $70 - pricey but really good food and good fun and quite unique.
Drove back to hotel, stopping on the way for hair gel, bandanas etc and finished off the wine and nuts and crashed out.
Weather: Sunny and bright but it seemed freezing at about 70 degrees! - forecast is the same for tomorrow!
Plan for tomorrow: Universal Studios then onto to the Contemporary
thank goodness for happy hour in the universal parks
What a good Mum and Dad you are 
